gingercatni wrote:How about April 30th thats a good month and a half, plenty of time for people to read the shorter Amitabha Sutra and take notes to pose questions, then we can work our way through the others. Let me know if this sounds okay,

Sounds good to me -- it's about time that I reread it.

gingercatni wrote: plwk usually when someone takes apart someones post as you did mine, there is usually to follow a degree of criticism. The group here in northern ireland has been formed by myself and three others, we are a regulated non-profit limited by guarantee company, for the charity commission and local government. You make me sound like some kind of crook when in fact i was merely using the internet to help our mission here. I've donated in the past to things in other countries someimes helping things elsewhere helps things in your own country. I am so disapointed with your reaction, you have made me feel most unwelcome, so to save any further discussion, i won't be back here. Goodluck, and peace to all.

There's no reason to leave. I think it's a good idea to get more discussion going in this forum -- yes there is a sutra discussion subforum, but this seems like a nice way to build a sense of community and support here. I sometimes attend a nonsectarian sangha because there is no place for Pureland practitioners where I live, but I do think it's helpful to have some sort of community (even if online) to turn to that is actually doing what you do and maybe having similar problems, questions, experiences, etc. Anyway, I for one appreciate what you are trying to do, and don't see why it should be a source of conflict.

Thank you. I have since contemplated why I should feel the need to leave something I enjoy when someone else seems to have the issue. I was/am genuinely trying to get us to have our own little community here, which would go beyond us using this site simply as a forum, but for a place for us to communicate and connect. Most of us lack the presence of Pureland centres in our respective countries, I feel this place helps us to form our own "place". I don't post continually on here as like everyone I have outside commitments and also sometimes I have nothing to ask or say and I simply like reading others comments.

I'm lucky in a way that I have a small group of people (which is slowly growing) who have connected with the Pureland tradition. We meet quite informally at each others homes and I find this is a source of great comfort that I am with other people living by the Buddha's teachings. I really recommend that others try this too as no matter where you are, you are not a lonely Buddhist, there is someone like you who would love to be your friend and practice the Dharma with you.

Thanks for your comment, it means a lot. And yes, I'll be here on April 30th, I already have my points to raise and ask opinions on! Happy reading folks, remember April 30th!

RikudouSennin wrote:I remember way back when i was a teenager a member on the esangha forum had alot of notes/insight on the sutras.One of my main questions is on the emphasis of this being a teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha that he gave because no one had the capacity to ask questions about it. Any ideas?

hehe, that's your affinity there with PL. that said, even bodhisattvas who reached until 7th bhumi could still have doubts in Amitabha/PL path. the "logical" mind tends to set in.

from my archive:

Now to be able to believe and have no doubts in PL is also not easy as mentioned in Amitabha Sutra. Did we too have greats merits? One can read the Infinite Life sutra, and you’ll know. A Prince Ajatasatru who met and adored 400 billion Buddhas in the past but he did not say he wanted to take rebirth in PL, nor did 500 great elders. This mean their merits are still not enough! If we had vowed to take rebirth in PL that would mean that our merits exceeded Prince Ajatasatru and the 500 elders. We have actually met and adored countless Buddhas, not 400 billion Buddhas, as 400 billion Buddhas are still countable!

_/\_Amituofo!

"Enlightenment is to turn around and see MY own mistake, Other's mistake is also my mistake. Others are right even if they are wrong. i'm wrong even if i'm right. " - Master Chin Kung

RikudouSennin wrote:I remember way back when i was a teenager a member on the esangha forum had alot of notes/insight on the sutras.One of my main questions is on the emphasis of this being a teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha that he gave because no one had the capacity to ask questions about it. Any ideas?

hehe, that's your affinity there with PL. that said, even bodhisattvas who reached until 7th bhumi could still have doubts in Amitabha/PL path. the "logical" mind tends to set in.

from my archive:

Now to be able to believe and have no doubts in PL is also not easy as mentioned in Amitabha Sutra. Did we too have greats merits? One can read the Infinite Life sutra, and you’ll know. A Prince Ajatasatru who met and adored 400 billion Buddhas in the past but he did not say he wanted to take rebirth in PL, nor did 500 great elders. This mean their merits are still not enough! If we had vowed to take rebirth in PL that would mean that our merits exceeded Prince Ajatasatru and the 500 elders. We have actually met and adored countless Buddhas, not 400 billion Buddhas, as 400 billion Buddhas are still countable!

Nice quote, we are so fortunate.

Were you the one who had those awesome sutra notes...till this day i regret not copying them. They were so insightful.

_username_ wrote:Why is Buddhism split into separate schools and groups? ... Isn't the original goal to attain Nirvana and Enlightenment.

Is this question specific to Pure Land?The concept of a single, monolithic "Early Buddhism" is something that may or may not have even existed, and if it did then it had a very short life.More importantly, we have what are called "Dharma Doors", there are considered to be 84,000 of them (an unlimited amount).These are individual paths to Nirvana/Enlightenment based on each individual's capacities.The Buddha did not teach people in a uniform way, after reading some of the earliest of scriptures, I would be wary of anyone that said he did.

RikudouSennin wrote:I have discovered that along with my dedication to PureLand i think the Tendai school is for me.I was reading about Honen of JodoShu and realized he was in Tendai.Just wanted to share because i consider nenbutsu my main practice now.Namu Amida Butsu

Welcome aboard. I practice at a Vietnamese TianTai temple, that also has Pure Land affiliation and I consider myself a bit of an East Asian Mahayana syncretist (interested in all the major schools).This isn't a contradiction, because TianTai/Tendai advocates various practices (including Pure Land practice) going all the way back to the founder, Zhiyi.In fact, all major schools of Chinese Buddhism advocate Pure Land practice, as do most Vietnamese, Korean, and a large portion of Japanese schools. Japanese Tendai's cool, you may want to hit up Jikan for more info, maybe even swing by one of the Tendai temples if you're on the east coast.

plwk usually when someone takes apart someones post as you did mine, there is usually to follow a degree of criticism. The group here in northern ireland has been formed by myself and three others, we are a regulated non-profit limited by guarantee company, for the charity commission and local government. You make me sound like some kind of crook when in fact i was merely using the internet to help our mission here. I've donated in the past to things in other countries someimes helping things elsewhere helps things in your own country. I am so disapointed with your reaction, you have made me feel most unwelcome, so to save any further discussion, i won't be back here. Goodluck, and peace to all.

plwk usually when someone takes apart someones post as you did mine, there is usually to follow a degree of criticism. The group here in northern ireland has been formed by myself and three others, we are a regulated non-profit limited by guarantee company, for the charity commission and local government. You make me sound like some kind of crook when in fact i was merely using the internet to help our mission here. I've donated in the past to things in other countries someimes helping things elsewhere helps things in your own country. I am so disapointed with your reaction, you have made me feel most unwelcome, so to save any further discussion, i won't be back here. Goodluck, and peace to all.

NOPE you ain't going nowhere,see you on April 30thPeace and love

I'll be here I'm working on the points I want to discuss See you back here next month!

I was curious if any of you guys/gals know how to use a Juzu, Jodo Shu style?I got some Juzu beads way back but havenkt used them because I would use a tulasi mala of 108 bead. But now im finally bring them out.

Also on of my pom pom things broke, im thinkin of replacing the beads i lost or tying knots.

_username_ wrote:I'll join. I've done the Medicine Buddha recitation though its Tibetan and not Pure Land.

Medicine Buddha's dharani & mantra are from the Medicine Buddha sutra, which is technically a Pure Land sutra, even mentions one of his vows being to encourage people to want to be reborn in Amitabha's Pure Land. By studying this sutra, you'll be helping him keep his vow.

I was curious if any of you guys/gals know how to use a Juzu, Jodo Shu style?I got some Juzu beads way back but havenkt used them because I would use a tulasi mala of 108 bead. But now im finally bring them out.

Also on of my pom pom things broke, im thinkin of replacing the beads i lost or tying knots.

Any help is appreciated.

Namu Amida Butsu

Honestly I find them a huge distraction when I am chanting Amitufo,I usually chant for appreaciation and to gain Samadhi through the repititions.(I find no reason to count repititions as the purpose it not to count but to have joyful appreciation and to acheive Samadhi(Pureland/Puremind)personally I(and our Sangha) use Juzu beads to memorize our Bodhisattva vows,and precepts,or to help memorize certain teachings we hold dear.(for instance you can memorize 6 paramitas,4 noble truths,8 fold path,10 Bodhisattva vows of Queen Srimala,ect)

others may hold a different opinion and find Juzu beads helpful during chantingpeace and love

RikudouSennin wrote:I have discovered that along with my dedication to PureLand i think the Tendai school is for me.

I was reading about Honen of JodoShu and realized he was in Tendai.

Just wanted to share because i consider nenbutsu my main practice now.

Namu Amida Butsu

even in chinese mahayana, many late masters from Tendai, in the end recited Amitabha's Name and seek rebirth in PL.the recent TienTai Masters who departed practicing Nienfo (Buddha remembrance) were as follow, Master Zhi Zhe, Master Di Xian, Master Tang Xu and Master Bao Jing!Master Oyi used to be Tientai, learn from Master Lian Chi become PL Patriarah after that.

_/\_Amituofo!

"Enlightenment is to turn around and see MY own mistake, Other's mistake is also my mistake. Others are right even if they are wrong. i'm wrong even if i'm right. " - Master Chin Kung